Interim protection orders in Bougainville have limitations

The chairperson of the North Bougainville Human Rights Committee, says the increase in Interim Protection Orders being issued in Buka, is in part due to a greater awareness among women of their rights.

Helen Hakena, who also works for a women's NGO in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province, says during last week's Haus Krai or House of Mourning, many local women came to testify about domestic violence.

Mrs Hakena says IPOs work well in some situations to protect a victim from abuse while awaiting a main court order but says sometimes an interim order lapses before the case is brought to the main court.

And she says some perpetrators just ignore the order.

"There has been cases where an IPO has been issued and men have torn those papers in front of the woman or in front of the policeman or the person who served the IPO on them, they need to change their attitudes and behaviour."

Helen Hakena says there is more reporting of cases and a greater awareness about what help is available.